New tree house for RISE program

RISE coordinator Grace Griffiths takes joy in crafting cardboard constructions for the students to play in, while at the same time incorporating her creations into lesson plans.

Staff Reporter

Whether it’s a tree house, fairy home or hobbit hut, one thing is for sure – the kids at RISE have another fun place to play.

Earlier this winter, it was a yellow submarine – which served as a tribute to the Fab Four as well as an educational tool on ocean life.

RISE coordinator Grace Griffiths takes joy in crafting cardboard constructions for the students to play in, while at the same time incorporating her creations into lesson plans.

RISE, which stands for “Recreation, Imagination, Socialization, and Education,” is the school’s before and after school activities program, offered by the Recreation Department.

RISE is held at the Deer Hill School in Cohasset from 7 to 9 a.m. in the mornings and 3 to 6 p.m. in the afternoons. Students begin with a nutritious snack, followed by a chance to work on any homework assignments they might have, and receive assistance from staff members if needed.

The rest of the time is spent on enrichment activities, including games, sports, arts and crafts, team-building exercises, guest speakers, story time and even seasonal lesson plans that often coincide with what students are studying in school.

Griffiths oversees the program, along with recreation staffers Marie Dunkelberger and Pam Turpell.

In the summer, kids that are part of the summer playground program, which ends at 3 p.m., can also take part in RISE if they get there early or need to stay late.

Every season brings a new creation to the classroom. Past projects have included a spaceship, replica of Paris, and even a mighty medieval castle.

For spring, Griffiths wanted to bring the outside in – inspired by an old, gnarled tree in the middle of the Deer Hill playground, which is visible from the RISE classroom windows.

Griffiths pointed out the “big, burled oak the children are constantly playing on,” adding that the students often sit on or around the tree during recess and RISE outdoor playtime.

“They love to play” there, she said.

Griffith’s tree house design was based on the little houses in the film adaptations of the J.R.R. Tolkien tomes, the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “The Hobbit,” with a “thatched” roof, fireplace, and oversized “mushrooms” growing outside. It has also been interpreted as a fairy house or “Swiss Family Robinson” home, according to students.

“It’s fun,” third grader Gabrielle Henry, 9, said of the tree house, adding that she enjoys pretending to cook in the hut. “There are little pots in there.”

Nature-themed lesson plans accompany the tree house.

“It’s been fun getting into spring and to talk more about nature, and what lives in trees,” said Griffiths. “We watched ‘The Borrowers’ and talked about gnomes.”

The books “Last Child in the Woods” and “Fairy House” have also been part of the curriculum.

Griffiths has brought in tree bark from a recent walk with her 11-year-old Scottish terrier, Brodie, teaching the children about moss and lichen – even Irish shillelaghs.

In fact, St. Patrick’s Day (Monday, March 17) was when the tree house made its RISE debut. Shamrocks are part of the structure’s outdoor décor.

“The leprechauns officially opened it Monday,” said Griffiths.

In keeping with the theme of nature, spring and going green, the tree house is entirely made of recycled or found materials. The recycled cardboard is donated by Hingham Lumber.

“Before they recycle it, we play with it and then recycle it,” Griffiths said, adding that she built the entire tree house in around six hours on a Saturday, based on sketches she did while watching the Tolkien movies.

The new tree house seems to be a hit so far. Griffiths shared that one of the students was sad to see the submarine go. When told that the tree house was coming next, the child was “not enthusiastic,” said Griffiths.

The tree house won the student over. “She said she liked it better than the submarine,” said Griffiths.

For more information on the RISE program, visit www.cohassetrec.com or call 781-383-4109.